Will You Get Bulky from Lifting Weights?

One of the most common questions we get as fitness professionals from women is “will I get bulky if I lift weights?”. And we completely understand that, considering the abundance of pictures online of women in bodybuilding (see picture below, left). However, the answer is women CANNOT get bulky from lifting weights. This is because of the very low amounts of testosterone (male hormone) in women. So let’s see what benefits you CAN yield from lifting weights.

Benefit #1: Increased Metabolism. Increasing metabolism is the main factor in fat loss. The faster you metabolize nutrients the faster you will burn calories. By increasing your metabolism you will also use fat cells for energy much more efficiently.

Benefit #2: Increased Strength. Increasing strength possesses a myriad of benefits of its own. Here are just a few of them: reduced risk of injury, increased body functionality, stronger bones and joints and more.

Benefit #3: Reduces Stress: By lifting weights you imitate the hostile environment in which we have been evolving for millions of years. Our ancestors were used to a daily physical activity, whether it was hunting a mammoth, picking up heavy objects, running after and from wild animals. Nowadays, we find ourselves sitting behind desks, and this in itself poses an enormous stress to our bodies. By lifting weights you put your body to use and relieve this stress, keeping it young, functional and healthy.

Here is a short weight lifting guideline that you can incorporate into your weekly schedule:

– Lift weights 2-5 times a week (depends on your fitness level)
– Your workouts should be 30-60 minutes in length
– Majority of the exercises should be compound (hit a number of different muscles at once). Examples include, squats, deadlifts, pushups, shoulder presses, etc.
– Your weights should not be too light but also not too heavy. As a general rule pick those weights with which you can do 15-20 reps, 1-3 sets per exercise. The last few reps should be very challenging.

Along with the BMBB nutrition plan, you will sure to get amazing results. Happy lifting!